Australia’s 2026 ski season has been hit by one of the warmest mid-winter periods in recent memory, with multiple alpine resorts recording July temperature records as a prolonged heatwave sweeps across New South Wales and Victoria. According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), ski areas including Mount Hotham, Falls Creek, and Thredbo all recorded exceptional warmth last week, with temperatures reaching levels more typical of spring than the middle of Australia’s winter ski season.
For Australian skiers, the timing could hardly be worse. After a challenging start to the season marked by limited natural snowfall, resorts have been forced to rely heavily on snowmaking to maintain terrain coverage. Thankfully, night time temperatures have been low thanks to crystal clear skies, however, during the day, snow turned to slush after several days of temperatures between 11-14°C (52-57°F).
At Mount Hotham, Victoria’s highest and most snow-reliable resort, temperatures climbed well beyond historical July averages. The resort’s previous July maximum temperature record had stood at 8.7°C (47.7°F), recorded in 1994. That mark was surpassed multiple times this month, with temperatures reaching 12°C (53.6°F), which isaround 12 degrees above the normal July daytime average.
Falls Creek also experienced extraordinary warmth. The resort’s previous July record of 9.8°C (49.6°F), set in 1992, was broken when temperatures reached 11.5°C (52.7°F) and then climbed again to 13°C (55.4°F). BOM observations show the resort continuing to experience unusually warm conditions.
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Further south in New South Wales, Thredbo recorded a July high of 14°C (57.2°F), way above the historical average of 5.5°C (41.9°F).
The unusual warmth has created spring-like scenes across the Australian ski fields, with skiers and snowboarders sporting T-shirts and shorts to combat the heat. Visitors to the Australian Alps last week found themselves reapplying sunscreen more often than on the beach to keep from contracting sunburn, while the lifties tied their jackets around their waists and pulled their ski-masks all the way up to their sunglasses.
Australian resorts have increasingly invested in snowmaking technology to protect operations during marginal winters. Without modern snowmaking systems, much of the country’s resort skiing would struggle during warm and dry periods like this one. Resorts including Perisher, Thredbo, Falls Creek, and Mount Hotham now rely on extensive snowmaking networks to maintain beginner areas, major access routes, and high-traffic terrain. But snowmaking has its limits and most systems need sufficiently cold temperatures and the right humidity levels to make snow. Some resorts, like Buller and Thredbo, have invested in “ice factories” that can make snow at up to 20°C (68°F).
The recent warm spell comes during a season already influenced by a developing El Niño pattern, which typically brings warmer and drier conditions to eastern Australia. BOM seasonal outlooks had warned that alpine regions could face above-average temperatures and below-average precipitation during winter. For ski operators, the combination of reduced snowfall, warmer temperatures, and shorter snowmaking windows represents one of the biggest operational challenges in the modern era.
Despite the difficult start, Australian ski resorts are not giving up on the 2026 season. Historically, major snow events can still transform conditions quickly. A single powerful storm cycle can dramatically improve coverage, especially at higher elevations.
